May 12, 2002

Box Score

SPOKANE, Wash. - Gonzaga (25-26, 13-14 WCC) set the school and West Coast Conference record for home runs in a season on Sunday afternoon as the Bulldogs downed Santa Clara (24-29, 14-13 WCC), 15-4, at August/A.R.T. Stadium. Gonzaga added two home runs to raise its season total to 83. The previous school mark and WCC record was 82 home runs set in the 1999 season.

John Gebbers got the GU offense on track in the bottom of the first inning as he connected for a three-run home run to left field off Santa Clara starter John Redmond (5-6). Sam Hess collected the other RBI of the inning on a fielder's choice. The four run first staked the Bulldogs to a 4-1 advantage after Jack Headley had put the Broncos on the board with an RBI single in the first.

Santa Clara closed the margin to 4-3 in the third inning scoring two unearned runs against Bulldogs starter Matt Reding (2-0). Pat Peavey had the two-run single after the error led to a bases loaded situation. Reding would work seven innings allowing eight hits as he won his second game of the season in his first starting role of the year.

The Bulldogs put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth as they scored seven runs after a Broncos miscue. Grant Zurmely, Nate Gold, Kevin Richardson, and Jeff Culpepper all had RBI hits while Kemp Quackenbush had a two-run single to right. Eric Rodland would set the home run record for GU with a solo shot in the sixth and Gold added a two-run double in the seventh. Santa Clara added a late run on a home run by Joey Gomes.

Gomes, Peavey and Headley each finished with two hits for the Broncos while Rodland led GU with a 4-for-5 day. Gold and Gebbers each drove home three runs to lead the Bulldogs offense. Gonzaga travels to Washington for weekday games before hosting Pepperdine next weekend in a crucial WCC series as all four Coast Division teams are still alive for the division crown.